DateBook
Veterans Building exterior housing Herbst Theatre in San Francisco
Image: Eduardo Manchon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Classical DateBook venue guide

Herbst Theatre classical concerts

Civic Center · San Francisco

Associated programming: San Francisco War Memorial

Herbst Theatre is an 892-seat auditorium in San Francisco's Veterans Building for chamber music, recitals, lectures, and community performing-arts programs.

chamber musicrecitalsmid-size hallCivic Center
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Next performance

Brooklyn Rider

Thursday, October 8 at 7:30 PM · Ticketed: $55-$75

Show detailsTickets ↗

16

Shows in 90 days

12

Dates listed

Fri + Sat

Coming up most

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Listed prices

What to expect

Planning a visit to Herbst Theatre

Choose Herbst when you want a mid-size recital or chamber setting rather than the scale of neighboring Davies Symphony Hall or the Opera House. Check the presenting organization's event page for seating, concessions, run time, and ticket policies before arrival.

Nearby picks

Before or after the performance

Check current hours, performance-day service, travel time, and reservations before relying on any stop.

  • Restaurant

    Absinthe Brasserie & Bar ↗

    A Hayes Valley brasserie for a reservation-led meal before an evening performance; confirm service times against your curtain time.

  • Restaurant

    a Mano ↗

    An Italian restaurant on Hayes Street for pasta, pizza, and a planned pre-concert dinner within the Civic Center and Hayes Valley area.

  • Quick bite

    Souvla — Hayes Valley ↗

    A counter-service Greek option when a faster meal is more useful than a full dinner; check the Hayes Valley location's current hours.

  • Attraction

    Asian Art Museum ↗

    Pair an afternoon museum visit in Civic Center with an evening performance, checking exhibition, admission, and closing times in advance.

  • Attraction

    San Francisco City Hall ↗

    The Beaux-Arts civic landmark faces the War Memorial complex and can anchor a short architectural stop before the performance.

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7 artists • 5 composers • 4 formats • 14 venues • 2 neighborhoods

(Herbst Theatre) Filtered Results: 16Clear Venue Filter

Date: Thu, Oct 8, 7:30 PM PDT

Format: ChamberTicketed: $55-$75
Venue: Herbst Theatre • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • • Details

“Four classical musicians performing with the energy of young rock stars…making classical music accessible but also celebrating why it was good in the first place” ( Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ). Brooklyn Rider has sculpted a singular space in the world of string quartets with a gripping performance style and unquenchable appetite for musical adventure. Program: Citizenship Notes HAYDN: String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20 No. 5 ANGÉLICA NEGRÓN: Our Children Speak English and Spanish DON BYRON: String Quartet No. 3 TED HEARNE: We Are Working Tirelessly For A Ceasefire BOB DYLAN, arr. Colin Jacobsen: The Times They Are A-Changin’

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Date: Thu, Oct 22, 7:30 PM PDT

Ticketed: $55-$75
Venue: Herbst Theatre • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • • Details

Beginning with God Bless America , Irving Berlin’s musical prayer of thanksgiving to the nation that gave him refuge as a child fleeing pogroms in Russia, Fellow Citizens explores migration and immigration narratives in the United States through the art of song. Featuring works by a wide range of composers—from Franz Schubert to Ruth Crawford Seeger— Fellow Citizens reflects on two enduring narratives in American history: one that asserts America is for Americans, and another that celebrates the country as a “Nation of Immigrants.” Nicholas Phan is accompanied by Grammy ® Award-nominated pianist Myra Huang , who is acclaimed by the New York Times as “…a colouristic tour de force.” Program: Fellow Citizens Songs by IRVING BERLIN , SCHUBERT , RUTH CRAWFORD SEEGER and others, including a new work by SHAWN OKPEBHOLO

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Date: Sat, Oct 24, 10:00 AM PDT

Format: ChamberTicketed: $70-$90
Venue: Herbst Theatre • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • • Details

The Esmé Quartet has enjoyed a tremendously successful debut as San Francisco Performances Artists-in-Residence, bringing exciting new energy to the popular Saturday morning series with music historian Dr. Robert Greenberg . Reviewing the Esmé’s Schubert series debut last season, SF Classical Voice said, “All in all, it was a terrific performance that made you look forward to more Schubert and whatever other works the Esmé brings to San Francisco.” Saturday Mornings combine full performances of works complemented by fun, factual commentary. Audience members find them the perfect way to kick off the weekend with music and fellow music-lovers—a San Francisco Performances tradition for more than 30 years! Program: From Old World to New ANTONIN DVOŘÁK: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, "American" AMY BEACH: String Quartet, Op. 89

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Date: Sat, Oct 24, 7:30 PM PDT

Ticketed: $75-$95
Venue: Herbst Theatre • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • • Details

Grammy ® -winning “guitarist extraordinaire” ( Classical Guitar ) Berta Rojas has “introduced new dimensions to the emotional reaches of the instrument” ( El País ). She has collaborated frequently with legendary 11-time Grammy winner Paquito D’Rivera . He told Latinousa.com , “My real awards are the people that I have the chance to work with, people that I have met during my life.” Program: AGUSTÍN BARRIOS MANGORÉ: Un Sueño en la Floresta AGUSTÍN BARRIOS MANGORÉ (arr. Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo): Choro da Saudade ; Ca’azapa ; Maxixe ; Preludio en Do Menor ; Las Abejas Tribute to Dizz (improvisations on Dizzie Gillespie’s music) DEMETRIO ORTIZ (arr. Edin Solis): Recuerdos de Ypacarai ; Mis Noches sin Ti JOSÉ ASUNCIÓN FLORES (arr. Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo): Choli NÉSTOR ZAVARCE and MARICIO CARDOZO OCAMPO: Pajaro Chogui—Galopera PAQUITO D’RIVERA (arr. Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo): Contradanza

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Date: Thu, Oct 29, 7:00 PM PDT

Ticketed: $65-$85
Venue: Herbst Theatre • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • • Details

Jean-Guihen Queyras is highly praised the world over for his thoughtful interpretive approach and flawless technique. “Queyras elicits an exquisite range of nuance” ( The Strad ). He pairs up with Alexandre Tharaud , whose extraordinary career spans 25 years, 25 solo recordings and countless live performances. “His sense of characterization and fine detailing is everywhere apparent” ( Gramophone ). Program: POULENC: Suite Française (d-après Claude Gervaise), FP. 80 BRAHMS: Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38 BERG: Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 5 SCHUBERT: Adagio from Sonata in A Minor, D.821 “Arpeggione” BRITTEN: Movements 1 and 5 from Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Major MARAIS: Prélude and Sarabande from Suite No. 1 in D Minor, (Pièces de viole, Livre II) DEBUSSY: Prologue: Lent, sostenuto e molto risoluto from Sonata for Cello and Piano in D Minor FAURÉ: Sicilienne , Op. 78; Papillon for Cello and Piano, Op. 77 BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor; Hungarian Dance No. 7 in A Major; Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G Minor

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Date: Thu, Oct 29, 7:30 PM PDT

Ticketed: $65-$85
Venue: Herbst Theatre • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • • Details

Jean-Guihen Queyras is highly praised the world over for his thoughtful interpretive approach and flawless technique. “Queyras elicits an exquisite range of nuance” ( The Strad ). He pairs up with Alexandre Tharaud , whose extraordinary career spans 25 years, 25 solo recordings and countless live performances. “His sense of characterization and fine detailing is everywhere apparent” ( Gramophone ). Program: POULENC: Suite Française (d-après Claude Gervaise), FP. 80 BRAHMS: Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38 BERG: Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 5 SCHUBERT: Adagio from Sonata in A Minor, D.821 “Arpeggione” BRITTEN: Movements 1 and 5 from Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Major MARAIS: Prélude and Sarabande from Suite No. 1 in D Minor, (Pièces de viole, Livre II) DEBUSSY: Prologue: Lent, sostenuto e molto risoluto from Sonata for Cello and Piano in D Minor FAURÉ: Sicilienne , Op. 78; Papillon for Cello and Piano, Op. 77 BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor; Hungarian Dance No. 7 in A Major; Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G Minor

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Date: Sat, Nov 7, 10:00 AM PST

Format: ChamberTicketed: $70-$90
Venue: Herbst Theatre • Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area • • Details

The Esmé Quartet has enjoyed a tremendously successful debut as San Francisco Performances Artists-in-Residence, bringing exciting new energy to the popular Saturday morning series with music historian Dr. Robert Greenberg . Reviewing the Esmé’s Schubert series debut last season, SF Classical Voice said, “All in all, it was a terrific performance that made you look forward to more Schubert and whatever other works the Esmé brings to San Francisco.” Saturday Mornings combine full performances of works complemented by fun, factual commentary. Audience members find them the perfect way to kick off the weekend with music and fellow music-lovers—a San Francisco Performances tradition for more than 30 years! Program: From Old World to New ERICH KORNGOLD: String Quartet No. 2 FRITZ KREISLER: String Quartet in A Minor

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INSTRUMENTS

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